


Pine

by Legs (InsanityRule)



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 14:36:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4308918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsanityRule/pseuds/Legs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He loves Richard, he knows he loves him. He just doesn't know what comes next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MothersAgainstCanada](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MothersAgainstCanada/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY (tomorrow) Canada!
> 
> the tumbles ate the post of you telling me your AO3 so *shrug*

“Hey Jared? Um… tie?”

“Of course.” Jared follows Richard into his bedroom and watches Richard pull one of his few ties off of his tie hanger and hands it to Jared. It’s the blue one. Jared’s fond of the blue one.

Richard’s eyes are so pretty. They’re always pretty. But when he wears blue?

Jared’s heart might burst if he looks for too long.

“I learned to tie a new knot.” Jared’s voice cracks. He coughs and shakes his head. “It’s called the trinity knot.”

“That sounds… that sounds good.” Jared nods. He busies himself with gently lifting the collar of Richard’s button down shirt and leaning in, oh so subtly, so he can wrap the tie around Richard’s neck. “Maybe one of these days you can teach me. Then I… then I won’t need the help.”

Oh how he would hate that. “I would love to.” Stupid. So stupid. He needs to do a better job at keeping his feelings in check. “This one’s a bit more complicated than a windsor.”

Richard’s watching Jared’s hands. He can feel each puff of breath. Jared’s hands are trembling but he focuses on his task. He’s here to help Richard, to help Pied Piper, and now is not the time to entertain fantasies. It’s frivolous, and he knows it won’t get him anything but heartache.

“I’m… I’m scared.” _No, don’t be scared. I’m here and I’ll support you and-_ “I don’t… they haven’t told me anything about the new CEO.”

“You’ll do just fine, I’m sure of it.” He hopes he’s telling the truth. But even is he isn’t Jared will never abandon Richard. Not now, not if Pied Piper fails, not ever.

As he’s finishing the knot Richard glances up and Jared’s breath catches because they’re so blue, so bright; he really shouldn’t be trusted to keep himself in check when Richard looks so vulnerable. And he should really look away because now he’s just staring but Richard looks so handsome and _I love you. I love you Richard I’m sorry but I love you._

He drops the tie and backs up, wiping his hands on his pants. They feel so clammy, but Richard’s tie looks good.

Richard always looks good.

“It… it looks good. I… I don’t think I can ever do this.” Jared nods. He’ll always do this for Richard, drop whatever he’s working on so he can help Richard. “Thanks.”

Jared nods. _I love you so much._ “Anytime.”  
\--

Maybe today is the day he admits to Jared that he learned to tie a tie.

After the arbitration, after Gavin in that bathroom (he’s still not super thrilled about that whole thing) he forced himself to practice again and again until he could tie an acceptable windsor knot.

But he goes to Jared every time.

“Hey Jared? Um… tie?”

Maybe he’ll figure out how to talk to Jared without fumbling all over himself.

“Of course.” Richard walks to his room and glances back. Yes, Jared followed, alright. Now what?

Right, a tie. He grabs his blue tie and hands it over to Jared.

“I learned to tie a new knot.” There’s more than one? “It’s called the trinity knot.”

“That sounds… that sounds good.” Jared leans in and he takes a deep breath. But he’s not smelling Jared because that would be weird. He’s just… took a deep breath and happened to get a whiff of Jared’s deodorant. It reminds him of the outdoors, pine maybe. He loves that smell. “Maybe one of these days you can teach me. Then I… then I won’t need the help.”

God why did he say that he doesn’t want that at all. This is the only time he can be close to Jared without it being weird. “I would love to.”

 _No please I don’t want that I take it back._ “This one’s a bit more complicated than a windsor.”

Oh thank God there’s still hope.

Jared’s hands look so nice. Are they soft? Richard thinks they’re soft. He hopes they’re soft.

“I’m… I’m scared.” He’s so afraid he’s going to say something stupid. Richard can’t look Jared in the eye. _I like you so much you have no idea. _Shit that sounded bad what does he say now? “I don’t… they haven’t told me anything about the new CEO.”__

It’s true but that’s the last thing on his mind.

“You’ll do just fine, I’m sure of it.” He’s so thankful for Jared’s support. If he never gets anything else in life he would be content knowing Jared will be there for him.

He looks up and he can’t look away. Jared’s eyes are so nice, so bright and hopeful. Richard’s not even breathing and he’s going to pass out but that would be okay because Jared would catch him.

Jared blinks and tilts his head slightly and it’s like a spell was broken. They step back and Richard adjusts the knot until it’s the perfect tightness. He had no idea ties could look like this. He’ll never be able to tie a tie like this.

He never thought being unskilled would make him so happy.

“It… it looks good. I… I don’t think I can ever do this.” And even if he could he’s probably going to go to Jared for help. “Thanks.”

Jared nods. “Anytime.”

_I wish I was brave enough to tell you._

\--

He’s going to be here for Richard when he gets back.

Richard’s out there meeting his replacement CEO, the person that will manage the company he tried to hard to build, the person that may turn Pied Piper into the next Hooli. All of Richard’s hard work is dissolving right in front of him.

But he has to think positive. Richard may be upset, or angry, or on the verge of a panic attack. Jared can provide Richard with support. He can rub his back and bring him something to eat or maybe they can watch a movie together to distract him.

Yes, it will be perfect. Jared will be supportive and comforting. He’ll suggest a comedy so they can laugh. They’ll sit together on the couch and he’ll find the right time to put his arm on the back of the couch. Richard will lean back against him, maybe he’ll move closer and they’ll cuddle. Oh, he would like that very much.

And even if Richard thinks it’s platonic at least he’ll get to be close to him.

He’s sitting by the front door so he knows the moment Richard arrives. He feels bad for being excited, after all Richard is probably upset, but he knows he can help Richard cheer up.

The door opens and Richard’s smiling? He looks happy, or at least not sad. “Richard?”

“Oh, hey Jared.”

“Did the meeting go alright?” He hopes it did for Richard’s sake. But he also wishes he could be the proverbial knight in shining armor he envisioned.

“Oh, um… yeah actually. The new CEO… it should be good. They actually want my opinion, so for now… looks good. And maybe I won’t be anxious?”

“That’s wonderful.” He loves seeing Richard so happy. He loves so much about him.

“Yeah,” Richard undoes his tie. “Say um… this knot was really cool. Could you um… maybe you can show me how to do it?”

Oh.

Jared nods. “Alright.”

Maybe Richard doesn’t want his help anymore.

“Say um… can we do it at the same time? Um…” Richard grabs a second tie. “We can do it together?”

He smiles. “That sounds good Richard. Here,” Jared takes one of the ties and bends slightly so Richard can loop his tie around Jared’s neck. They’re so close, too close. He’s going to do something foolish if they stay this close.

Richard’s eyes are so bright when he smiles.

Jared starts to back up, to give Richard some space. He doesn’t want Richard to feel awkward. But Richard tugs on the tie a little and Jared pauses. “Richard?”

“Um, Jared do you… do you want to kiss me?”

He’s not really sure he can answer that without his voice cracking. Jared settles on nodding. He hopes this isn’t a test. Richard would never do that to him though. They’re, at the very least, friends.

He really hopes they’re friends.

“Um well that’s… okay.”

“Richard?” He puts a hand on the tie holding him in place. His pinky is brushing against Richard’s hand. His chest feels tight. But he can’t look away. “Why do you ask?”

“Well um… If… I just want to uh… can I kiss you?”

Oh.

Oh!

Jared smiles so wide his cheeks hurt. He nods and Richard pulls him down with the tie and their noses bump together. Richard’s blushing and Jared can’t stop laughing. He hugs Richard and presses his face in Richard’s hair and he’s just so happy right now. He steps back and Richard stands up on his toes and kisses him and right now, with Richard, he couldn’t be happier.


End file.
